


bottle green

by meredyd



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 03:56:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7250998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meredyd/pseuds/meredyd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It’s been 10,000 years. They’ll be happy to see you."</p>
            </blockquote>





	bottle green

“You’ll get one message each, to begin with,” says Allura. “Please, try to keep them at least somewhat succinct so everyone can have a full turn.”

Hunk raises his hand. “What if we have a lot of people we want to talk to? I have _five_ older sisters, Princess, and they’re all gonna think I’m so cool now.” He pauses. “I want to tell them about Shay.”

Allura sighs and lowers herself to the floor where the paladins sit in a half circle. Coran has brought them all sandwiches and juice.

Lance has a datapad propped on his lap and a sandwich in his left hand. He’s typing frantically, Allura peers over his shoulder to see a list of names. His mothers, siblings, uncles, cousins. The sting in her heart is pointed, like a sudden injury. 

“Princess,” Shiro starts, but she gives him a careful, even smile.

“You may each record in the control room one by one. I’ll help you with the transmission. Choose among yourselves who goes first.” 

“I’ll pass,” says Keith, with what must be practiced ease. “Give someone else my turn.” He is stealing food in increments from Lance’s plate, which Lance hasn’t yet noticed. “The only person waiting to hear back from me is here.”

“If you’re sure,” she says. “Who would like more time?”

Pidge, propped against Shiro’s side, gives a solemn raise of her hand. Why do they keep raising their hands? Allura wonders, and for the first time in a few days she wants to laugh. She’s not their school instructor, but do they see her that way? It may not be worth asking. 

“I have a lot to explain to my mom. And um, she’s not going to be too thrilled about any of it. Also, I’ve been thinking, and are we using Coordinated Universal Time? Shouldn’t we sequence based on where on Earth we’re calling? Mom’s going to be more mad about me waking her up in the middle of the night than running away, probably.”

“You can all be in mine if you want,” Lance says, clearly impressed with his own largesse. “Moms are going to want to meet all of my friends. They know how popular I am at the Garrison, of course, they’ll be glad to see I’m keeping it up.” He takes a long, satisfied slurp from his juice box. 

“I can stay with Keith,” Shiro says, in a tone that doesn’t broach any elaboration. Pidge nudges his side, mouths something nearly silent, but Shiro only looks tired when he shakes his head.

She knows so little about them, her Paladins. She knows more about those they travel to help and leave than she does about the people here, in the castle that’s as much a part of her as their lions are to them. Allura the Princess is overcome with the cold guilt that comes in the absence of duty. Allura the person rises and leaves the room with crisp footfalls against marble.

 

In the control room she lets her hands wander, checking defenses, opening every screen. The steady thrum of a well-run ship is a balm to her. She could fall asleep here. She could stay here forever, a part of it, just as her father had been. Just like that. It would be so simple. 

From behind her the sound of rampaging Paladins trying to form an orderly line. 

She never could. 

For a long moment they look at each other, and it’s then she realizes they expect some privacy.

Lance runs ahead to the console first. She presses a button and his image is reflected back at him, ready to record. In an instant the words rush out of him, almost frantic, everyone behind him filled with longing curiosity. 

“Hey, you should send something too,” Pidge says. She pushes her glasses up and they obscure her eyes in the console lights when she looks up at Allura. “Send a message to Earth! We’re not so bad, once you get to know us. They’d probably appreciate it. I mean, it’s been 10,000 years. They’ll be happy to see you.”

“Pidge,” Allura says, “They wouldn’t even _know_ me. And if they did, they’d think I was dead.”

“But you’re not.” Pidge shrugs. “Just an idea.” 

 

It’s the blue hour of the night and the castle is falling into a fitful sleep, when she returns. 

\--

_I am Allura of Altea. I’m not certain who will receive this message. Perhaps that doesn’t matter. We Alteans have always been fond of your planet. For its size and youth it contains beauty that you’ve worked hard for, something Altea respected. You maybe never have known that._

_We were — are — a people of diplomats, but I send you this message not as royalty, or as someone who wishes to put myself above you, but as a friend. I have learned about your people from my own friends, my Paladins. I will never see my home again. I don’t know what I hope to——_

_If you’d welcome a curious envoy someday, I would be happy to learn from whatever you have to show me. Care for each other._

The holograms dance and flash. Allura turns off the screen.


End file.
